Flameo Instant Noodles
by The Thrush That Can't Fly
Summary: A collection of post-series vignettes. Non linear, mostly canon pairings, and potential Korra spoilers. Chapter eleven: What with all of the people Aang has to watch over, he's the busiest man in the spirit world. Kataang, Aang and Korra friendship, Daddy Aang, Gaang friendship, proud Momma Toph, and light Sukka, Maiko, and Yuekka.
1. Maiko

Firelord Zuko, ruler of all of the fire nation and owner of countless (useless) war medals, fell willingly into his girlfriend's arms.

Er- her lap.

Admittedly, Mai hadn't _expected _her boyfriend to flop gracelessly onto the floor to clutch at her skirts while she was reading a book, but she took it in stride. "Something wrong?" she asked, voice flat. Zuko didn't remove his head from where it was resting on her lap.

Instead he decided to display his maturity.

He set the curtains on fire.

Immediately a swarm of servants emerged from the shower to douse the flames. They quickly began the tirade on not destroying Fire Nation artifacts.

"As much as I appreciate the _babysitting," _Mai's voice was biting now. The servants flinched as Zuko smirked into her skirt. "We've proven to be able to handle ourselves. I promise our glorious Firelord won't be setting fire to any more of the decor."

"I don't promise anything," Zuko muttered. Before he could react, her knives were pinning his arms to the couch.

"There." Mai said. The servants looked like they wanted to protest the ripping of the upholstery, but her voice clearly proclaimed the matter done.

The knife thrower's cool anger was far too dangerous to be messed with.

The firebender looked up from her skirts for the first time. The bags under his eyes were more prominent than ever; his mouth was set in a frown. He didn't look like the same man who stood before the kingdom at his coronation only a year ago.

"Can I be freed now?"

The knives were carefully pulled from the couch and placed back into the hiding places in her clothing.

"More assassination attempts?" she asked. Her hand reached out to push his hair out of his eyes and grazed his scar. Zuko had learned to identify her affection in her face.

Her eyes lost the hard look she shot at everyone else. Her lips turned upwards in a slight smile. Dark eyebrows weren't knit like they were when she was displeased. A barely there lilting tone came into her voice.

After years of knowing her, he could read her like a book.

"Of course," he growled, "I don't understand! Everyone was so unhappy with my father, and yet the second I take the throne they're begging to have him back!"

"Not everyone," Mai reminded him.

"You're right," Zuko said, "Just all of _my _people." Mai rolled her eyes at him.

"I'm one of _your _people," she countered, "And your Uncle. And the people at your coronation."

The Fire Lord pouted.

"I'm not going to sit here and listen to you feel sorry for yourself," Mai decided. "And I'm not about to let you get killed either. I'll have to sleep in your room from now on."

"Wait- _what?" _

Mai rose an eyebrow, challenging him.

"Clearly your guards are worth nothing. You need another layer of protection from someone who can actually protect you. I've already proved I can do it, and _I'm _not losing sleep standing outside your door all night."

Zuko gave her an uncharacteristically large smile.

"Uh yeah, yeah, that sounds gre- uh, fine."

Mai smiled at him and leaned down for a kiss.

He obliged.


	2. Tenlin and Pemzin

**A/N: The slowly but all at once thing is a John Green quote. All the credit goes to him. I don't really like how this one turned out, kind of long and ramble and annoying. Still, I hope you guys enjoy.**

Tenzin fell out of love the same way he entered it - slowly, than all at once.

There were, of course, little pieces of evidence that he no longer loved his long time girlfriend. Their conversations became about only Republic City politics. Their sex life all but died. He found himself making excuses to stay late with the Air Acolydes.

Then the moment of clarity. His best friend, no longer Lin Bei Fong but the sweet, young, too young Pema blurting out her feelings during a talk about Air Nomad food. His eyes inexplicably filled with tears. Happy tears.

The feel of her lips.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Still, he vividly remembers nights spent in another woman's arms.

Lin Bei Fong was cold to everyone else, but hot to his touch. She would crawl over him and come alive. The sarcastic note in her voice would disappear when she told him where to put his hands and when she ordered him with affection in her eyes to be a man and _get down there already. _Tenzin had never thought of himself as a sub, but Lin was a woman no one could dominate.

He still feels a little tug in his pants when he remembers how she announced her mastery of metalbending; with a flick of her wrists, he'd been bound to his four poster bed.

It was a good night.

Then, once they fell apart, spent, he would get food from the kitchen so they could lean against her bed frame and talk. Usually they discussed their days and jobs, but sometimes they'd remember their childhood.

The family trip that Tenzin fell off of Appa, and they discovered he was an airbender. When Bumi tried to be like Aunt Mai with throwing knives. In the end, Lin and Bumi had BOTH needed stitches.

Tenzin bringing her flowers when they were fifteen. Lin kissing him for the first time during a pro bending match when they were both sticky with sweat with throats hoarse from cheering. Racing through Republic City across metal cables and the blue sky.

Tenzin suspected that he'd loved her since they were young and she'd defended him from Kya's teasing. Maybe he'd realized it once Zuko's daughter had assumed they were dating, and he'd wondered why they weren't. Or maybe it was when she held his sweaty hand as decided whether or not to get his airbending tattoos.

His father had given him a hard time about that as they sat together, Aang slipping a needle through his son's flesh.

These memories had long lost their charm for Tenzin, however. They came with Lin tying he and Pema up with metal cords, screaming.

_"You _**_had _**_to bring her, didn't you Tenzin? You had to complete my humiliation by telling me with the _**_other woman _**_on your arm!"_

He- well, he hadn't exactly handled the situation too well. He could admit it.

It was just- well, the process had been going on for so long. He didn't expect her to be so surprised. So sad.

He'd expected the anger. He hadn't expected her to run off, tears welling in her eyes, leaving them dangling there.

That memory still haunted him sometimes. Lin Bei Fong had been his best friend. Now she may as well be a stranger.

Still, he never regretted leaving her. How could he? He was making new memories with Pema.

They spent long nights talking about Air Nomad culture, her eyes gleaming with happiness and fascination. His wife was a curious, charming woman, and she wanted to do everything she could. It was strange for Tenzin, being eighteen years older and having already seen much of the world.

They tramped through Republic City together as she danced through allies and darted through streets. Their love blossomed in the park, the sunlight glinting off of her hair as she gave food to the homeless and told him everything about her. Tenzin listened, fascinated, until she demanded he did the same.

Then Tenzin talked.

So did the town.

The gossip spread like a disease, creeping from parlor to parlor amongst the elite of the city.

_"With an _**_eighteen _**_year old, and his father almost in the grave-"_

_"It's practically illegal!" _

Pema never listened, nor did his family. Bumi and his uncle gave him thumbs ups when she wasn't looking. She and Kya had a friendly spar. (Tenzin was surprised at Pema's skill with a sword). He couldn't count the amount of people who had teased him about little airbenders in the future.

His parents loved her too, his father from his sick bed. Pema sat by him for long hours when Katara had to help negotiate peace treaties that Aang should have; Tenzin would never know what they talked about.

When the time came, Pema held him as he cried for a lost parent.

It didn't take much to complete the process of falling in love with her.

Pema, luring him to her room with a smile and a come hither look in her eyes, shoving him onto her bed. She crawled over him, looking victorious as she slid his hand onto her breast.

(Okay, so maybe Tenzin was a sub).


	3. Bolin Centric

Bolin got his first girlfriend when he was seven.

She was a mixed race girl, like him, but she didn't have bending to give her a side to identify with. Her skin and hair were a clear sign of the water tribe. Her eyes, on the other hand, were a dead giveaway to an Earth Kingdom background.

They met for the first time when Bolin was begging for food outside the train station. It was directly against his brother's orders; Mako wouldn't have Bolin be subjected to the cruelty of strangers. Instead, the firebender worked himself to the bone so that Bo could hide in the relative comfort of the park all day.

Unfortunately for Mako's rules, the hunger pangs were often too much for him to resist.

When he'd gone to beg that day, there was already a girl sitting under Firelord Zuko's statue. That was his favorite spot, but he didn't mind.

His seven year old self had never seen someone so beautiful.

So he told her so.

Again.

And again.

(And again).

She'd taken his hand in hers, and they'd sat there together all day. He had admired for hours how her brown fingers intertwined with his. It was all he could think about once he ran back. Mako couldn't know he was gone, but Bo wanted to tell him about it so badly.

He kept his mouth shut.

The routine went on for a few days until one day she wasn't there anymore. Eventually he found out that she'd been caught stealing food by the police.

His tears that night finally gave him away to his brother.

The relationship had done something more important than reveal to him that holding hands was fun. It taught him that if you told people the truth, they would _like _you.

No wonder Bolin had so many friends.


	4. Aang and Kya

Sometimes Aang forgot how old he was.

With a flick of his long, muscled arms he'd send his shrieking daughter into his arms, letting her clamber onto his back and ride the air scooter with him. They'd race across Air Temple Island with the wind and the sea breeze blowing in their faces.

Aang would bend with her, splashing her from inside of his octopus and teaching her how to do the same. He'd wrap her up in a watery tentacle and pull her towards him, turning their childish sparring match into a tickle fight.

Then he realized that he was an adult now.

It was never, ever of his own accord. Avatar or not, he saw no harm in smiling or laughing with his children. On his own, he'd never realize he wasn't supposed to make his family crowns out of flowers and play fairies with them.

The first realization that this may not be quite correct was during a meeting with a Northern Water Tribe ambassador. They'd had him to visit Air Temple Island, and they'd been discussing trade agreements when Kya ran in.

"Daddy!" she sobbed, holding out her arms. "I'm hurt!"

Aang could she that she was; her chubby elbows were welling with blood. He immediately ran to her, falling onto the ground and wrapping her in his arms.

Kya buried her head into his shoulder, and her tears formed a large wet spot on his formal robes. He made a mental note to order new ones; these would probably be ruined.

"I w-w-was working on a new bending move to show Mommy for when she came home from visiting Grandpa, and I f-f-fell into the fountain, and I was so scared, Daddy!"

"Oh, Kya," Aang said, wiping away her tears, his voice soothing. He removed his arms from around her and placed them on her elbows. They were already damp, and so it didn't take long for the familiar blue glow to appear. His eyes flashed white.

He didn't know how to heal, but Avatar Kuruk did.

"That sounds like a real warrior's battle," he told her, his voice serious.

"R-really?" she asked, her eyes wide. Her parents were the best fighters in the _world _to her, and they never lied. Having them say she was a warrior was a big achievement.

"Definitely," her father replied, "I don't know if I've faced a situation more dangerous, personally."

"What about when you got your scar?" Kya was starting to feel better now. There was very little more comforting to her than wrapping her arms around her father's neck and grieving her sorrows. He sat in his meditation position, legs crossed so that she could perch comfortably in his lap. His arms held her tightly to his chest.

"That doesn't _count," _he explained, "I had your mom to heal me. You were brave _all by yourself."_

Kya was sitting up straighter now, clearly proud.

"Do you want to play Kyoshi Warriors with Aunt Suki and Uncle Sokka and me?" she asked, wiping away her tears. Aang grinned. Sokka and his wife told his daughter too many stories.

"I'm sorry, honey, but I have to talk to this nice man right now. Why don't you go back to them? They were nice enough to come watch you, and they're probably really lonely right now. When I'm done I'll help you practice your waterbending for mommy."

"Okay daddy. I love you."

"I love you too, you crazy Kyoshi Warrior. Go get them!" Kya ran off, wounds forgotten.

Aang looked up to the man he'd brought over, apologies on his lips, but the judgmental look on his face was hard to misread.

The Avatar blushed, suddenly embarrassed of his mistake. He'd never hear the end of this, not from the Northern Water Tribe or anyone it associated with, and definitely not from Kyoshi the next time he saw her.

Still, years later when Bumi and Tenzin came to him with their bruised elbows or pride, he always did the same.

Aang never learned.


	5. Asami Centric

Asami aches.

She blows back and forth with the wind, too weak to stand on her own. The purple makeup has long faded from her face, redistributed into the deep bags under her eyes. Her hand burns where the taser sat. She can feel the electricity that shot through her father with every move.

It travels from her hand to her arm, and it clutches her heart in its fiery grip.

Mako is like lightning too. He holds her while she falls apart, and he stands tall enough for the both of them. His scarf will soon be stained with her tears.

Yet he hurts her.

Every time he touches her, she burns. Pain shoots through her at the knowledge that he is not the one she wants comforting her. She is a foolish child, and she aches for her daddy.

Asami cries for his strong arms around her. She screams out in the night for the smell of oil and tobacco that she's always found so comforting. She begs for his strong, soothing voice. There has never been anything that could comfort her better.

The nonbender is all too aware that he wants another as well. Without her sense of humor and ache for adventure, she fears she is boring him. She knows he'd rather hug Korra late into the night. She knows he has always had feelings for the young Avatar. Still, she can't leave him. Pretending is easier than the truth.

She has no one left.

Her mother is dead. She has never been able to make many friends. They always turned out to just like her for her money, or they quickly became jealous of her. Asami could not stop boys from staring at her, and she could not control what others thought of her. She knew firsthand how quickly jealousy could kill a friendship.

Asami is lonely.

Her father was the one person who had never let her down. He had never failed her. He held her every time she cried. He talked her through every problem she'd ever had. He did _everything _for her.

Pema becomes a godsend.

Asami suspects that the young woman sensed that she needed a mother, or maybe she just thought that nonbenders should stick together. She found herself staying in a guest room with a closet full of Pema's pre-maternity clothes; the teen wondered how she'd known how desperately Asami _didn't _want to go back to her mansion.

Every day, Mako sneaks out just before dawn. Asami wallows in Pema's old pajamas until the mother comes up with a breakfast tray. Her eyes are all knowing but not judgmental. She sits on the bed and talks to her about her life and what she wants for dinner that night. When Asami's eyes fill with tears, Pema wraps her in her arms and allows her to cry into her shirt.

Everything about the woman is sweet and kind and motherly. Her voice soothes Asami, and she holds her just as a parent would. The teen has been without a mother for so long she doesn't remember to feel guilty about replacing her.

Korra becomes a friend.

In the afternoons, once Asami has pulled herself together (sort of), they spar. Korra says nothing about her obvious tiredness. Until the fights, she is jerky and unsure. She moves as if through molasses, broken and tired. She touches her killing hand to her neck lightly. The hand that attacked her father. The hand that doomed him to a life in prison.

As soon as the fight begins, she is transformed.

Korra went easier on her at first, but she quickly stopped. Despite the Avatar's heightened natural abilities, the other woman could do more than just hold her own. She was fast, she was experienced, and more than anything she had too much built up aggression.

There is never a winner. Eventually they just get too tired to get going.

Since the first fight, Korra no longer looks at Asami with sympathy in her eyes. It is empathy, and it is companionship, but it is never pity.

In the evenings, Bolin and the children make a tired smile creep across her face. Asami can see that Jinora was head over heels for the Earthbender. She does her wildest, most impressive airbending moves for him, and Bolin claps and cheers. Still, the nonbender knows he only had eyes for the Avatar. It's made obvious in everything he does, from how desperately he tries to make her smile to how often he stares at her.

Sometimes Asami catches Mako staring at her in the same lovestuck way, and her heart throbs with brief happiness. The lightning that has roped its way around her heart is not pleased with the rebellion; it tightens around her. She loses her breath.

Still, she loves him. Every night that he holds her until she falls asleep, she feels herself fall deeper. He even sleeps with his scarf.

Asami hadn't understood why the scarf was so important. Now she understands. Now she knows that she would die for a pure, painless reminder of what her father had been before.

Now she aches.


	6. Cloudfamily

**A/N: Okay, can we pretend there are turkey basters in the Avatar universe? Yeah / yeah? I couldn't think of a replacement.**

"So dad, what's up?" Bumi asked, falling back onto the couch. Kya joined them, still careless and nimble on her sixty year old limbs.

"For the last time," Korra grumbled, "_Stop calling me that."_

Katara smiles at them from the doorway. She and her children travelled back to Republic City for Tenzin's birthday; the elderly waterbender wondered now if they could've chosen a better time. Pema was ready to burst. There was a war going on, and last but not least, the house was full of teenagers.

It was good to be back.

Korra's discomfort was understandable. Katara had tried to bring up as little about her relationship to Aang as she could. Sometimes the young Avatar would request that she told her stories, and Katara tried to keep them as platonic as possible. It was very lucky all Korra wanted to hear about was fighting.

Her youngest son sat solemnly on the chair adjacent to the couch. His eyes were on Pema, watching her as she prepared dinner in the next room. Katara knew how worried he was about her. Tenzin never stopped worrying.

"It's true, isn't it?" Kya grinned, wrapping an arm around Korra and mussing her hair with a fist. Bumi's smile was splitting his face.

Six or sixty, her children never changed.

"Wait!" the young Earthbender said, realization dawning on his face. He, Mako, and Asami were sitting on the floor with their backs against the wall. Their long legs were stretched out in front of them. "Does that mean that you two- you two- you did- you-" He gestured wildly between Katara and Korra, his cheeks reddening.

The room was suddenly filled with noise.

First there was the booming laughter of her eldest. Kya keeled over, clutching her sides. Bumi literally fell of the couch, and Pema rushed in to check on him.

Tenzin, on the other hand, was yelling. He'd stood up immediately and was towering over the young Earthbender, pointing and screaming something about _DON'T BRING HIS MOTHER INTO THESE INSIPID JOKES_. His face was redder than a tomato, and his cape was whipping in the sudden wind.

It was nice to know Tenzin had gotten _something _from Katara, even if it was just her temper.

Bolin was quivering with fear.

Korra was also yelling.

"No, no, no, no!" she shouted, plugging her ears, "As far as I'm concerned, they used a _turkey baster!" _

"Ask Tenzin about what they used!" Pema replied, having decided Bumi was fine. "Evidently he wasn't great at knocking!"

Asami was laughing now, and Katara took a moment to appreciate the girl's smile. She hadn't seen it at all during her visit.

Then she got down to business.

A strong temper didn't just _go away_ with age.


	7. Kataang

Sifu Katara was the last waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe. She'd fought oppression in the Northern Water Tribe and, despite all odds, became one of the first waterbenders to master the craft. Her skill on the battlefield and in the hospital tents was world renowned. All of the founders of the United Republic owed their lives to her. She had trained the Avatar, defeated one of the deadliest firebenders ever, _and _knew the moon on a first name basis.

_All before she was fifteen._

It was no surprise then, that all young waterbenders idealized her. The stories were miraculous enough to make any child fill with wonder, and they were all _true. _Kenna could vividly remember nights spent clutching her mother's knee as her ears were filled with tales of Katara's great deeds. The others in her group were congratulated too, of course. The Avatar's praises were sung just as often. Sokka was also a matter of pride amongst his tribesmen.

It was just that Katara _resonated _differently with Kenna. She was one of _her people, _born in the same land with the same bending in her blood. When Kenna heard that she was teaching waterbending in the United Republic, she had left home for the first time in her life to attend classes. It had been over ten years since Katara left for her adventure with the Avatar, but there were still no native born Southern Waterbending Masters.

Kenna wanted her sifu to be one of _her people, _born in the same land with the same bending in her blood.

The classes went well. Kenna had little experience, but she tried hard. Those nights toiling underneath the moonlight with Katara and the rest of the class became the best part of her stay. She began coming earlier and earlier to try to get more bending in, and hopefully to be able to talk to her hero.

It was quite strange to accidentally walk in on your hero kissing the Avatar.

It wasn't that Kenna didn't know she and the Avatar were together. They were _married. Everyone _knew that they were together! It's just... she'd never thought about her wise Sifu sitting on a table, legs wrapped around an airbender.

Maybe she should give her a break. She was still in her late twenties. She still had needs.

It was easier to understand that she had needs in her head than it was to actually see her _acting _on them. Katara pressed herself closer to the young Avatar, her hips grinding against his.

Kenna gathered up all her courage, opened her mouth to say something, and-

Promptly turned around and left.

Sometimes, it just wasn't worth it.

(Training that night was fairly awkward).


	8. More Maiko

The Fire Lord may rise with the sun, but his wife was never a morning person.

Mai kept her secret well. The Fire Sages would grumble and groan if they knew; the nation would protest. As far as they were concerned, if Agni was up, she should be too. Only her husband knew the true extent of her laziness.

To the rest of the country, she was doing sun rise yoga or overseeing the kitchens or god forbid, reading _more _trade agreements.

To Zuko, she was sprawled across their shared bed, snoring loudly. Her long and uncomfortable clothes had been kicked off for easier sleep, and at least three pillows were stacked under her head. Sometimes she clutched one to her chest, cradling it like the teddy bear she'd never been allowed to have. Knives glinted from where they were still strapped to her limbs. Drool spilled out of her mouth.

This was one of his favorite moments of the day. Mai, unkempt, unguarded, and a complete and total wreck.

The firebender had to see her like this quite often too. It hadn't taken long for him to realize what an expert she was at tricking servants into letting her sleep later. It was a trick she'd been cultivating since childhood. The knife thrower could get almost anything done with a sharp glance and a poorly hidden threat.

Because of this, the incredibly busy Fire Lord had to wake her up himself.

Every.

day.

It didn't take long for him to realize she was an expert at tricking _him _into letting her stay in bed later too.

It started with a few innocent kisses. Her soft, warm hands pulling him closer, pulling him into the bed with her, shoving his pants down-

Zuko got hot under his collar just thinking about it.

They always lay together afterwords. Zuko mumbled words of appreciation into her hair, and she held him tighter.

Sometimes, actions speak just as loud as words.

Even once this became a daily occurrence, it took a while for Zuko to figure out what she was doing. She was just so _good _at getting what she wanted.

Especially when Zuko wanted it too.

Eventually, he unearthed her plot and rushed to their bedroom to alert her. She was still asleep, but he didn't care anymore! She hadn't planned this as well as she thought!

Mai hadn't counted on his servants to alert him of all of the morning meetings he was missing, or she just hadn't expected him to care.

But he did.

This was about doing their duties! This was about serving their country! This was about their _honor!_

This was around the time that Mai pulled him down onto the bed with her.

_Well_, he thought as her hands slipped into his waistband, _Who needs honor anyway?_


	9. Tahnorra Friendship

Korra found him in the bathtub.

She couldn't guess how long he'd been in there. It was filled to the brim with part water, part liquor, and part his own waste. Empty bottles floated across the top. His head lolled off the side, limp hair clinging to his forehead. For a terrifying moment, she thought he was dead.

Then she noticed the subtle rise and fall of his chest.

How the mighty had fallen.

"Tahno?" she breathed.

He didn't open his eyes. He hardly showed a sign of recognizing her presence.

"Are you here to kill me?" he murmured, "Have the Equalists finally decided to be merciful?."

"Tahno, it's Korra," she replied. She took a step closer and realized for the first time that he was completely naked. Her cheeks colored. There was a thin film of bubbles that covered his body, but she was all too aware of his body beneath them.

She'd never seen a naked man before. She'd never even seen a man not wearing sleeves before she came to Republic City. The only people she had known were her parents and the White Lotus sentries.

"The all powerful ah-vatar."

Despite the hostility in his tone, he looked up at her for the first time.

"How'd you get in my apartment?"

"The door was open. Horrible choice, by the way. Your place is completely ransacked."

The Wolfbat grabbed one of the floating bottles and took a long swig.

"Perhaps I should rephrase. _Why _are you in my apartment?"

"No one's seen you in weeks," she replied, "The last time you were seen in public was at the police station. I came to make sure you were okay."

Tahno laughed then, a cruel, biting, sarcastic chuckle.

"You checkin' up on me, mommy?"

"Yes," she said. She was surprised by the steel in her own voice.

"It's a waste of time," he grimaced, "I'm done. There's nothing else for me. Nothing but all of _this." _He made a sweeping gesture with the bottle.

For a moment, Korra thought of Tahno's future. How hopeless it must seem, being forced to live a life without bending. She thought of Amon taking her own bending away, and for a moment she wanted to crawl in the tub with him and cherish the connection she had with water while she could.

For a moment, she let herself be weak.

"What does it- what does it feel like?" she whispered.

"Like choking," he replied grimly, "For a second, everything just clogs up. You want to cough, you want to protest, you want to do anything you can to get your chi flowing again. And then you feel frozen. Everything, everything in me is frozen now. It feels like I'm not moving, like the world is going on without me and I'm in the same spot."

Another long swig. His voice was bitter now, bitter and broken.

"I used to love baths. Being surrounded by water. Immersed in it. Every nerve in my body was alive, and I could breathe like I never could before. Well, you're a waterbender. You know what I mean."

Korra nodded. She understood the connection he had felt, the connection he was missing now.

Her breath caught in her throat when she thought of losing it.

"And _now," _he snorted. "Now it's like... it's like..."

The room was silent for a moment.

"Nothing," he muttered. "It's feels like nothing."

Tahno closed his eyes and leaned back against the tub. He was not fighting tears. He was not struggling to keep it together. He had nothing left to give. He was empty.

The young Avatar gazed upon the broken man before her. She remembered everything he had been before, and she mourned it, even if he had been insufferable.

Then she moved on.

"Get up," she ordered. Her voice was harsh.

"What?" he mumbled, opening his eyes and looking up at her.

"Get _up!" _she screamed. She leaned over the tub and pulled him up by his armpits. "Amon didn't break you!"

He stood in front of her now, wobbly and unsure on his feet. She was still supporting him.

It was her first glimpse of a naked man, but it was nothing like she thought it would be. It wasn't sensual, and she wasn't impressed. Everything about him was pitiful. He held himself like an ancient bum. His nails were untrimmed, his face unshaved, and his hair a mess.

She jerked him out of the tub, still holding him up.

"Where are your towels?" she growled.

"I don't have any," Tahno replied with a tone just as nasty. "I always _waterbended _myself dry."

Korra couldn't bend and support him at the same time. She noticed that his shirt lay across the sink. She picked it up with one hand and roughly toweled him dry.

"Amon did not break you," she repeated. Soon enough, it became a mantra. She said it over and over again as she shoved clothes into his hands and forced him to stand alone.

"Say it," she demanded.

"I can't," he breathed. He was open and vulnerable, clothed but still just as broken. Korra's movements were jerky as she used water from the tub to twirl his hair.

"Say it, pretty boy. Amon did not break you."

The room was quiet. Tahno's face was a sea of emotions. It was as if Amon had taken his bones along with his bending, leaving a sagging blob of skin and sadness and empty dreams.

Korra let out a long sigh and turned to leave.

There was nothing she could do.

As she began to exit, she heard a voice behind her. It was quiet, barely above a whisper.

"Amon did not break me."

The Avatar left his home with a sad smile on her face.


	10. Masami and Makorra

**A/N: Trigger warning for slut shaming. Thank you guys so much for all the awesome reviews. These drabbles are just something I do for fun, but it's great to get compliments on them.**

Asami's prison cell was cold and hard. The ground was unforgiving, and sleep escaped her. She hadn't even been given a pillow.

There was metal all around her; it was meant to protect against benders. She laughed bitterly. That wouldn't be an issue here. Her lack of bending abilities was the whole _problem._

She should've remembered curfew. That was the stuff nonbenders lived with. She should've guessed her dad was an Equalist. He'd been trying to get a nonbender on the council for so long. God, if she could bend Mako might not even-

Asami sighed loudly.

She shouldn't be surprised.

People had always told her about this. Boys didn't like girls like her, at least not for long. She was pretty, and she was fun and easy going and rich. The nonbender never played hard to get. In fact, she never played at all. She saw a boy she liked, and she asked him out, and she gave it away too quickly.

They'd always told her boys didn't like _sluts._

Unfortunately, it had proven true again and again.

The first boy she'd ever kissed, way back in her childhood, had screamed "EW!" and run off to pull another girl's pigtails. She spread her legs for her first real boyfriend and never saw him again. Time after time, she was shut down. The only boys who didn't break up with her were the "trashy ones," the ones she picked up for a night and forced to leave in the morning, the ones _she _could tell what to do.

Every time, she cried to her dad. He understood. He held her. He listened.

No one else did.

"Nice boys don't like girls who pay for them," her friends insisted, "you're hurting their pride."

"Nice boys want to ask _you _on a date."

"Nice boys don't like girls who give it up right away. It's all about the teasing, and not about the pleasing."

"Nice boys don't like girls who wear that much makeup."

"You can't wear that on your date! Nice boys don't like girls who show that much skin."

"Nice boys want to fuck you, Asami. They don't want to _marry _you."

And Mako, well, he was a _nice _boy.

Korra, she was a nice girl. Asami couldn't deny it. She was tough, and funny, and crude, but she was respectable and had probably never even _kissed _a boy, let alone _fucked _one. She really _liked _Korra. She thought of her as a friend. One of her only friends.

The non bender closed her eyes to stop the tears from falling.

The first night they'd been at the mansion, Asami had cocked a finger at him and winked. He was confused and blushing, and she'd taken his hand and pulled him into her room.

She should've remembered.

She should've listened.

A play was going on against her eyelids. She could see how Mako and Korra acted around each other, the blushes and secretive glances. She realized why Korra had disliked her at first. She'd always assumed that it was for the same reason all girls disliked her. She was pretty, she was rich, and it was threatening.

Asami should've realized.

Korra and Mako were going to have a great romance, she thought bitterly. They would love each other forever and have lots of bending babies. She was just a bump in the road. She was just the obstacle Korra had to fight through to get her man.

Suddenly, she _did _remember.

Her father held her tightly as she cried. Her face was pressed into his shoulder, tears ruining his shirt. She was blubbering something unintelligible about _nice guys _and _never _and _virginity._

"Listen to me," Hiroshi Sato said, lifting her chin so she had to look into his eyes. He was blurry through her tears. "If he doesn't like you because of that, he's not nice at all."

Asami rubbed her tears away in the present as she remembered in the past.

The nonbender was going to have a long talk with Mako, and soon. But first, she had to get out of here.

**A/N: You guys have probably figured it out by now - this chapter is a little bit of a response to how the fandom treats / has treated Asami. Thank you guys again, and please continue to R&R! The next chapter is more Kataang.**


	11. Spirit World Aang

**A/N: Spoilers for episode eight!**

Between all of the people he had to watch over, Avatar Aang was the busiest man in the spirit world.

Sokka and Toph weren't much help.

The airbender's eyes flipped to Pema briefly; her arm was pressed against her back as she bent over to pick up a piece of trash from the floor. Once she was upright, he turned to watch Jinora practice airbending for a moment. For a moment, he was young again, training with Gyatso. His heart swelled with pride.

"Lin's working _outside _the law!" Toph cheered, watching her daughter prepare. The earthbender had invented a song and dance by now to rub it in their faces. "She was the chief of police, and now she's a thief, stealing back her meeetalbeeee-eeenders!"

It wasn't exactly a good song.

Sokka was sitting crosslegged, watching intently as his great-grandchild attempted to push herself onto all fours.

"Suki, Suki, look at this, she almost did it this time!" he insisted, pointing and jumping up and down.

"That's great." Aang turned around for a second to see his wife roll her eyes from her seat near the moon spirit, and then he refocused on Katara. She was shopping for new clothes for the season. His old bones creaked along with hers.

Like him, the moon spirit was very busy. She rarely got to visit, but it was always interesting when she did. At the moment, Sokka's two great loves were discussing the advancement of women in the Northern Water Tribe.

"Yue, isn't she the best baby in the whole world?" the nonbender breathed. The moon spirit smiled wistfully and nodded. She knew that in another life that would've been her great-grandchild, but she didn't regret her decision. All of the water tribe were her family now.

"Not for long," Aang replied distractedly, "Bumi's daughter's expecting too." He was chewing his nails down to the bit, watching Korra as she fought yet another enemy. His heart beat a mile a minute.

"Can't you help her out a little, Yue?" he asked. He was clearly worried.

"_Lin_ can get by without the help of the moon spirit," Toph bragged.

"Speaking of help," he said, "Can you guys _please _lend me a hand here?"

"_Fine," _they whined.

Yue left to do her moon spirit duties. (Aang still wasn't clear on that). Suki, Sokka, and Toph focused on the ground.

"Katara's buying a new jacket," Sokka informed him.

"Oh!" Aang exclaimed. He quickly focused on the South Pole, smiling as she pulled it on. He leaned on his hand, eyes wide and gooey. Sokka grimaced.

"It doesn't match her boots at all." He turned up his nose at her and turned back to his own descendants.

"Ty Lee's driving Zuko and Mai crazy," Suki chimed in.

"What else is new?" Sokka said. Aang laughed. Zuko and Mai made the perfect grumpy old couple, but Ty Lee was the same as always.

"They should be in Republic City," Toph grumbled. "Zuko is powerful enough to make the benders listen to them, and Mai and Ty Lee can speak to the nonbenders from experience.

Aang turned back to Republic City. Tenzin sat, head in his hands, in front of a large stack of paperwork. The Avatar frowned. He knew his son's stress was from more than just the papers. Tarrlok was still giving him trouble.

"Korra's in deep water," Toph shouted, turning back to Aang, "Can't you help her out with some glowy action?"

"No," Aang shouted back. Frustration was evident in his voice. "I can barely even send her ideas, let alone combine power!" He pushed his memories at her, grimacing. He could see in her eyes she was registering them.

It might be too late. She was still collapsed, and now she was being bound.

"Fucking Tarrlok," Toph growled.

There was nothing he could do until she awoke, and so Aang flipped briefly to check up on Kya. She was curled up on a chair outside of her igloo, lazily bending the snow into new shapes. Her spouse came outside, smiling and carrying tea. Satisfied, her father turned back to Korra.

Later Aang'd have to have a discussion with Yue about Tarrlok's bloodbending.

"I've got my eye on her," Suki told him, "There's nothing you can do right now. You should check on everyone else."

"Okay," Aang murmured. He did his rounds.

Bumi, Tenzin, Kya. All of the grandkids. Lin, carrying a knapsack, was fleeing under the cover of nightfall. He wanted to watch to make sure she was okay, but he knew she could take care of herself. He checked up on Korra again. She had gotten the gag off of her mouth, but she was using the element of surprise to her advantage. Naga followed the van a bit behind. He breathed a bit better. She'd be safe.

The former avatar checked on Zuko and the others. He did his best to watch for only a few seconds each. He had so much to do. Finally, he allowed himself the luxury of checking on his wife. He always saved Katara for last; his forever girl took the longest.

The elderly waterbender had moved out of the compound when Korra did. She was living in an igloo at the center of town. After setting down her purchases, she'd gone back outside, wrapped in her new winter jacket.

Katara was surrounded by children. They clutched at her legs, begging for stories and lessons and snacks. She leaned down, laughing and insisting that they give her a break. One of her hair loopies came loose and fell into her face. Frowning, Aang reached through the air for it.

For a moment, he could feel her hair in his fingers. Then it slipped away. Katara looked up, startled. Her hands flew to the loose strands and fixed it.

She smiled briefly, and he smiled back.

"Aang?"

The avatar was brought back from Earth.

"Yeah?" he muttered, turning to Suki.

"You should see this."


End file.
